The 90s: Another Decade In The History of the Greatest Broadcasting Organization In The World!
- MAB Legal Hotlines, titled “the greatest MAB member service ever”, begins in September 1991.
- Commissioner James H. Quello is confirmed for another 5-year term on the FCC in June 1991.
- James H. Quello was named interim Chairman of the FCC by President Bill Clinton in 1993. He remains in that post for one-year until Reed Hunt is sworn in.
- “Baby Your Baby” campaign to reduce infant mortality kicks off in 1991 as a statewide Public Private Partnership Community affairs campaign including a partnership with TV, Radio, Print and Cable. As a result, calls to the state’s hotline increased 600% in the first year of the program.
- Cable providers and broadcasters cooperated in a service provided by MAB to identify commonly-owned syndication rights of stations and network nonduplication in a report faxed weekly to cable managers and TV members to make it easier for cable to block Syndex claims.
- MAB moved the NCSA program from “Yes Michigan” to the Department of Community Health, a more appropriate place for it according to Governor John Engler. During that time, while negotiating a new agreement, the MAB sat out one-year without NCSA funding, a hit of over $300,000!
- Stations battle Single Business Tax (SBT) and Advertising Tax at the State Capitol and debate indecency on the airwaves as well as keep tabs on children’s programming.
- MAB supports Desert Storm troops by donating sand pails with AM/FM weather resistant transistor radios titled “Project Musical Sand Pails”.
- 1992 – Mid-Winter Conference officially becomes the Great Lakes Broadcasting Conference & EXPO (GLBC).
- 1992 – MAB partners with Blue Cross Blue Shield with “Ask the Doctor” campaign.
- 1992 – The first “Shape Up Michigan” and “Shape Up Michigan Kids Club” campaigns took place featuring Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons’ guard and captain, and the MAB.
- 1992 – MAB offers warm hospitality to Michigan stations during a cold November evening in East Lansing as they cover the Bush, Clinton and Perot presidential debates.
- MAB celebrates its 45th Anniversary with a roast of FCC Chairman James H. Quello during the Annual Conference at Boyne Highlands, 1994.
- MAB creates the MAB Foundation in 1994 based on an understanding for the need of a continued human resource pool of educated people interested in entering the broadcasting industry and because the MAB had additional funds without a specific purpose. Over-reserving was something that the IRS, at the time, frowned upon. MAB formed the MAB Foundation to receive some of the reserves in hopes that it would grow to become financially sound & than if anything were to every happen to the MAB, the foundation might be able to take over some of the educational programming and services that MAB offered, continuing those things that fit their purpose.
- In celebration of the MAB’s 50th Anniversary, the On the Air! Michigan Radio and Television Broadcasting exhibit opens in the fall of 1998 at the Michigan Historical Museum in downtown Lansing with a Grand Gala event featuring Ernie Harwell. The exhibit covered the history of broadcasting in Michigan from 1920 to 2000. Also during the Grand Gala event, MAB issued framed certificates from Secretary of State Candace Miller to every station that turned 50 that same year.
- MAB ends a year-long celebration of its 50th Anniversary at the Grand Hotel in July 1999. Many past presidents, government officials and special guests joined in the celebration.
- MAB addresses Satellite Home Viewers Act (SHVA), Ownership rules and the beginning of the EEO rules.
- Past Presidents of the 1990s: P. Thomas Bryson, WJRT/Flint (‘89-’90); Thomas C. Griesdorn, WXYZ/Detroit (’90-’91); Robert F. Ottaway, WMMQ/Lansing (’91-’92); Patrick J. Mullen, WXMI/Grand Rapids (’92-’93); Philip C. Lamka, WDFN/WWWW/Detroit (’93-’94); Thomas Scanlan*, WGTU/WGTQ/Traverse City (’94-’95); Stephen C. Trivers, WQSN/WQLR/WKZO/Kalamazoo (’95-’96); Ross P. Woodstock, WLNS/Lansing (’96-’97); Bruce I. Goldsen, WKHM/WIBM/Jackson (’97-’98); Scott Blumenthal, WOOD/Grand Rapids (’98-’99).
1990s Photo Gallery:
- In the early 1990s, MAB partnered with the Isiah Thomas Foundation for Shape-Up Michigan, a statewide fitness campaign. Pictured (l-r) Pat Mullen, MAB President 1993; Karole White, MAB; and Isiah Thomas.
- The official toast to the MAB’s 50th Anniversary at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, September, 1999.
- (right) Bruce Goldsen, MAB Chairman 1998 passes the gavel to Scott Blumenthal, MAB Chairman 1999.
- (l-r) Jerry Colvin, MAB President 1998 with Congressman John Dingell during the 1999 Annual Conference at the Grand Hotel.
- (l-r) Pat Mullen, MAB President 1993; Karole White, MAB; Eddie Fritts, NAB; and Bob Ottaway, MAB President 1992 during the 1992 State Leadership Conference.
- Going on a safari! (l-r) James H. Quello, MAB President, 1959 and former FCC Commissioner; Patrick Mullen, MAB President 1993; Bob Ottaway, MAB President 1992; and Tom Scanlan, MAB President 1995 during the safari-themed 1992 Annual Conference.
- (l-r) Tom Scanlan, MAB President 1995; Pat Mullen, MAB President 1993; Karole White, MAB; and Phil Lamka, MAB President 1994 as Mullen is presented with the traditional photo collage given to each Immediate Past Chairman as they leave the officer seat.
- During a 1997 Annual Conference reception, (l-r) Governor John Engler; Ross Woodstock, MAB Chairman 1997; Wayne Foster, Seed-Roberts Insurance; and Chuck Fritz, MAB President 1967, discuss broadcasting issues.
- (right) Tom Griesdorn, MAB President 1991 presents Charles Mefford, MAB President 1989 with an award during the Annual Conference at Shanty Creek Resort.
- (l-r) Tom Griesdorn, MAB President 1991 presents Michael Lareau, MAB President 1966 with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991.
- (l-r) Bob Ottaway, MAB President 1992 presents Tom Bryson, MAB President 1990 with the coveted Chairman’s Photo Collage.
- 1997 Annual Conference (l-r) James H. Quello, MAB President 1959 and former FCC Commissioner; Barbara Fritz; and Charles D. Fritz, MAB President, 1967.
- Enjoying the outdoors during the 1997 Annual Conference are (l-r) Charles Kelley, FCC and conference speaker; and Joe Blake, WMQT-FM/WZAM-AM (Marquette) and MAB board member.
- Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the MAB in 1999 at the Grand Hotel at (l-r) John Anderson, MAB President 1973; Michael Lareau, MAB President 1966; James H. Quello, MAB President 1959 and former FCC Commissioner; and Peter Kizer, MAB President, 1974.
- At the Grand Hotel in 1999 (l-r) Eddie Fritts, NAB; James H. Quello, MAB President 1959 and former FCC Commissioner; Victoria Liggett; and Bob Liggett, Liggett Broadcasting.
- In 1991 when Desert Storm began, MAB and its members came to the aide by distributing sand pails with portable radios to troops from Michigan. More than 300 AM/FM weather resistant transitor radios were distributed during “Operation Sand Pail.” Pictured (l-r): Bob Ottaway, MAB President 1992; Major General Vernon Andrews, Michigan National Guard; and Karole White, MAB Executive Director.